Business Litigation

By its very existence, a business dispute causes considerable damage to everyone it touches. Regardless of the size of a business, the prospect of attorney fees and costs, consumption of time and potential damage to goodwill are tremendous incentives to avoid litigation at any price even with the prospect of prevailing in the end. At the Law Office of Donald R. Oder, we understand our clients desire to resolve their dispute as efficiently and effectively as possible. We are committed first and foremost to client satisfaction and we manifest that commitment through efficient use of attorney time and open lines of communication. Our clients are free to call us any time without fear of being billed for every 10 minute conversation. We believe that working closely with our clients, understanding their needs and obtaining results in a cost effective manner will lead to long and rewarding associations. These are the building blocks of outstanding legal representation.

At the Law Office of Donald R. Oder, we put our considerable litigation experience to work for our clients. Whether your dispute is over a contract, trademark, partnership, franchise, lease agreement or employment agreement, we will sit down with you and personally discuss a litigation strategy that works best for you and your business. We will develop a strategy that takes into account the costs of the litigation to you monetarily and emotionally. Often, cases can be resolved informally prior to the filing of a law suit or before costly litigation expenses are incurred. With an intimate knowledge of our clients’ goals, innovative and forward looking strategies and assertive negotiation, we are able to leverage our clients bargaining positions to their advantage reaching settlements in advance of significant cost. Once it becomes apparent that informal agreement is not possible, we aggressively litigate your case using all of the legal tools available under the law while striving to maintain your goodwill and reputation in the community.

Aggressive litigation of course comes at a cost. In addition to attorneys' fees, there are actual expenses most often referred to as costs which include court filing fees, messenger and other delivery fees, service fees (fees paid to companies for serving legal documents on opposing parties), court reporter and deposition transcript fees, expert witness fees, consultant and investigator fees, long distance telephone charges, copying and printing charges, travel costs and other similar expenses. While it may appear at first glance that many of these costs aren't necessary, in reality they are indeed very necessary. The working assumption in litigation is that the other side also intends to aggressively litigate. This means finding and interviewing witnesses, taking the deposition of every possible witness (typically at an average cost of $1,000.00 per deposition), propounding and responding to extensive written discovery, fleshing out complex expert issues, drafting and opposing motions on a regular basis and regular court appearances.

Experts are of particular importance and are very expensive - usually adding costs anywhere from $5,000.00 to $25,000.00 or even higher depending on the complexity of the issues involved. Most cases require an expert opinion of one type or another. It may be a forensic accountant who determines just how much money a partner has embezzled or a business valuation expert who determines the present value of a business. If you ignore these expert issues to save money, you do so at your peril as your opponent won't likely make the same mistake. At the Law Office of Donald R. Oder, we effectively balance the need for aggressive litigation with our clients' desires to limit costs. We do so by consulting with our clients regularly throughout the litigation process, keeping them informed and allowing them to participate in costs saving decisions.

The information contained in this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. The attorney-client relationship can only be formed by written agreement of the parties. The Law Office of Donald R. Oder and all trademarks are the property of the owner.